42 Friday Sports Friday, March 9, 2018 Osaka too strong for former world No 1 Maria Sharapova Sharapova crashes out of Indian Wells CALIFORNIA: Former world number one In earlier action, American teenager Maria Sharapova lost her second consecutive Amanda Anisimova recorded her first top- first round match with a 6-4 6-4 defeat to level victory with a 6-2 6-2 thrashing of Japan’s Naomi Osaka at the BNP Paribas Pauline Parmentier. The 16-year-old’s poised Open in California on Wednesday. Sharapova, and polished performance came in stark con- who returned to tennis last April following a tact to the dismal display of Canadian Euge- 15-month doping ban, continued to struggle nie Bouchard, who was humbled 6-3 6-4 by to find form this season as she dug herself American qualifier Sachia Vickery. Anisi- into an early hole and never fully recovered. mova, the junior women’s US Open cham- Now ranked 41st in the world, Sharapova pion, was stronger than the 32-year-old fought back from early Parmentier in every breaks in both sets but facet of the game on ultimately came up the slow hard court in short on the key points American teen Indian Wells. in a performance that “It’s very exciting. saw her commit six Anisimova I’ve worked really hard double faults and lose records for this so I’m proud of five service games to myself,” Anisimova told her 20-year-old oppo- breakthrough win Tennis Channel, adding CALIFORNIA: Naomi Osaka of Japan stretches to return a serve against Maria Sharapova of Russia during Day nent. “I knew (Shara- that adjusting to the 3 of the BNP Paribas Open on March 7, 2018 in Indian Wells. —AFP pova) would fight for senior ranks had been everything because I’ve watched her since I more mental than physical. “The biggest was little,” world number 44 Osaka said in a thing is being tough mentally. I’ve learned match point to beat Hungarian Timea Babos Vickery pounced time and again in front of a courtside interview after winning the first about how to just be stronger during 1-6 6-1 7-6(4). sparse late-afternoon crowd on centre court. meeting between the pair. “I was just really matches.” She will face Russia’s 23rd seed Former world number five Bouchard was All eyes will be on Serena Williams on Thurs- honored to play her.” A two-time champion at Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second outclassed by 100th-ranked Vickery in her day when the American plays in her first sin- Indian Wells, Sharapova won the Tianjin Open round. Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who first match since reaching a settlement with gles event since giving birth last September, in October for her first triumph since return- was also a teenage prodigy but has had her the US Tennis Association (USTA) over a the two-time champion starting her campaign ing to the WTA Tour, but has not come close career blighted by injury, also advanced by locker room fall during the 2015 US Open. Her against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in a first to challenging for a tournament victory since. overcoming an awful start and seeing off a weak second serve was particularly costly as round encounter. —Reuters draw kicks off yesterday. Serbian Novak Swiss star Federer Djokovic, who is making his first return to the Tour since the Australian Open, is also a five-time bledon champion Garbine Muguruza. “She is one showing no signs Indian Wells champion and would like nothing Serena Williams of the best players so it is good that she is back, more than to announce his return from an elbow especially after being a mom. It is great.” French of slowing down injury by going all the way. eager to hit with Open champion Jelena Ostapenko said Serena’s Both players are in opposite halves of the draw contribution to women’s tennis cannot be over- so they would not meet each other until the final. stated. “She is an amazing athlete,” said sixth INDIAN WELLS: Roger Federer, who regained Djokovic won Indian Wells in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015 the world Number One ranking last month, is on a big guns again seeded Latvian Ostapenko. “She is a very special and 2016. Djokovic, who is seeded 10th, has a bye quest to make history in the California desert by and what she has done for women’s tennis is huge.” and will face the winner of a first- round match be- winning an unprecedented sixth Indian Wells title. INDIAN WELLS: Serena Williams is through tween two qualifiers in his opener. He is in the same The 36-year-old Swiss marvel continues to defy taking baby steps on the comeback trail after Pliskova doubts half of the draw as Argentina’s Juan Martin del the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in Sep- the aging process, claiming his 20th Grand Slam But Czech fifth seed Karolina Pliskova said it Potro, who is fresh off a win in the Mexican Open tember. The 23-time Grand Slam singles winner title and sixth Australian Open crown in January. is going to take more than one WTA event for in Acapulco last weekend. Del Potro, who made the is ramping up her return this week by playing in He has enjoyed a perfect start to 2018 by winning Serena to get back in championship form. “Ob- Indian Wells final in 2013, said Wednesday he is Indian Wells, her first WTA Tour event since she both events he has competed in and taking his ca- viously it is tough to get back even for a cham- healthier than he has been in years and full of con- won the 2017 Australian Open. After a couple reer singles title tally to 97. pion like her,” Pliskova said Wednesday. “I don’t fidence from his Mexico success. of exhibitions and a Davis Cup doubles match, have that experience with having a baby, but I “He shows there is no limit,” said third-seeded Williams is eager to hit with the big guns as she think it changes the body and the mindset a lot. Grigor Dimitrov on Wednesday. “He keeps on opens her campaign on Thursday night against proving it every year on the tour.” Federer opens Del Potro confident “We will see in the first round. For sure she is Del Potro defeated the hard-serving Kevin An- Zarina Diyas. going to be a little bit nervous. I don’t know the defence of his Indian Wells title by playing a “I’m ready to just jump in and get started and second-round match against either American Ryan derson 6-4, 6-4 in the final to claim his first title of what kind of shape she is in and if she was prac- 2018 and post his seventh-straight career victory see what happens,” the 36-year-old American told ticing or not practicing. Harrison or Federico Delbonis of Argentina. He also the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. “Obviously won this tournament three straight years beginning over Anderson. The 29-year-old del Potro “She can play good tennis again but I don’t recorded his 21st career ATP title but this is one of I’m going to have a few hiccups, I would imagine, know if it is going to be at this tournament in 2004, and in 2012 as well as last year. Federer and I’m ready for that.” Earlier this week she comes into the elite event as the oldest ATP Num- his biggest in years and the earliest he has hoisted maybe it will take her a while.” The first clues to a trophy since the 2014 season. “I had a lot of tough played one tiebreaker in an exhibition tournament Williams’ form will be displayed in Thursday’s ber One in history. In the Open era, only American in New York. In February she played a doubles Jimmy Connors has won more titles than Federer, opponents during Acapulco,” said del Potro. “I got night game against Diyas, Serena’s first match in a lot of confidence.” His tough draw in Acapulco rubber for the US Fed Cup team, and took part in Indian Wells will be Thursday night against with 109. should serve him well this week. If del Potro gets another exhibition in Abu Dhabi in late December. Diyas, the 24-year-old world number 53 from Federer has played two tournaments this year through his opening second-round match as ex- Indian Wells features a star-studded women’s field Kazakhstan. Serena boycotted this event, with and won both-the other being the Rotterdam pected, he will likely face Spaniard David Ferrer, in a tournament that looks wide open. her sister Venus, for 14 years after she was Open. “For me to stand right here as world Num- whom he also had to beat in Acapulco. Besides Many of the players on Wednesday said they booed in the 2001 final. She returned in 2015 but ber One in San Jose is very, very special for me,” Djokovic, that quarter of the draw includes Japan’s welcomed Serena’s return. “We are all going to had to pull out before her semi-final against Si- Federer said at a charity event in San Jose, Cali- look to see how she is playing,” said reigning Wim- mona Halep with a knee problem. —AFP fornia on Monday. Federer is not alone in his hunt Kei Nishikori, second seeded Marin Cilic and for a sixth Indian Wells crown when the men’s American favourite John Isner.